Cab driver pulls out bag of blood...hilarity ensues

[in48092]

I'm in Damascus, Syria taking a cab from my apartment to a cafe. I hail a cab and tell the driver my location. When traveling solo here it's standard to ride in front with the driver. After a minute or so the driver asks me, "what is your blood" or something to that effect. My Arabic is so so and i ask him to repeat himself. He does, and i figure this is a roundabout way of asking where i am from. I answer with my standard, Bermuda.

He gives me a "no, no your blood, positive, negative? I, quite honestly, tell him I don't know. He then launches into a rambling story. From what i can gather he is telling me that his 2 month old baby is sick, and needs three bags of blood. Then, presumably to emphasize his point, he pulls a bag of what appeared to be blood out from under his seat. It is literally about 100 degrees, and said blood is stewing under his seat. I recoil a bit when he starts waiving the bag of blood in my face, but quickly regain composure.

He then states that blood costs $20/bag, and he has an hour and a half to get his baby 2 more bags. At this point I deduce that this has to be an elaborate scam to try and seperate foreigners from their money, but i semi play along wanting to keep things civil. He proceeds to inform me that i can go to the clinic with him and donate blood for free, if it matches his baby, we are in luck. I assume he knew i would never agree to this, and figured this question would increase his chances of getting $$$ from me. I tell him i was under the impression that Syrians recieved health care of some degree from the government. "Yes, yes, some things are free, but not blood." We go on like this for a while until we reach my destination. moment of truth for him as i reach for my wallet. I can tell he thinks he has duped me. I almost want to give him more then the standard SL50 (about $1) just for the creativety and use of props, but not wanting to encourage this type of behavior i pay him the normal amount, and go on my way.

[xxThe_Lebowskixx]

Great story. I think that I would have gone to the clinic with him just for the hell of it.

[xenthebrain]

You should have asked to buy his bag of blood.

[in48092]

I wonder what he would've done if i had offered to go to the clinic with him.

I wish I could see a picture of my face when he pulled out the bag of blood. priceless.

[delta k]

wow that's really funny, great story

[Triumph36]

Did he perhaps look like this?



(I searched for way too long to find a picture of the actual episode)

[Steven_Q_Erkel]

This could have been monumental if you took him up on the clinic trip.

[Cornell Fiji]

[ QUOTE ]
Did he perhaps look like this?



(I searched for way too long to find a picture of the actual episode)

[/ QUOTE ]

More like:



(search for 'Jerry Seinfeld Mandelbaum' had it as the 3rd image down)

[MaxWeiss]

I'm more interested in why you are in Syria.....????

[in48092]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm more interested in why you are in Syria.....??

[/ QUOTE ]

I just graduated (more or less)from college. My degree was in Middle East Studies, and i've spent a semester and a summer in Syria so i know some people out here. The thought of diving straight into a 9-5 makes me want to jump off a bridge so going to Syria seemed like the logical answer. 6-9 months and my arabic should be pretty good. Also its cheap out here and i can support myself fairly easily playing NL100.